1. Field of the Invention
During invasive surgical procedures such as pacemaker implants and similar procedures, it is imperative that the patient's head be draped in a sterile manner to insure that a sterile field is maintained throughout the operation. Various methods have been employed to achieve this result, including various types of draping techniques, supports and other devices. The sterility maintenance cover and instrument support of this invention is designed not only for optimum effectiveness in achieving sterility during certain types of operating procedures, but also to support surgical and other instruments in an efficient manner, in emergency room, intensive care, operating room, home health care and examination room applications. The apparatus includes a generally L-shaped, transparent support having a base panel for fitting under the head, neck and shoulders of a patient positioned on an examination or operating table, an upward-standing end panel extending from the base panel and having an open window for accessing the patient from the end or side of the table and an instrument panel or platform projecting horizontally from the end panel, substantially parallel to the base panel over the patient's head and neck. Gussets may extend from the base panel along the end panel to support the instrument panel. The instrument platform is designed to support one or more drapes and/or to receive and retain or deploy various instruments used in the designated examination, I.V. or surgical procedure and may be fitted with an upward-standing, peripheral lip to maintain the instruments in position on the instrument platform. The sterility maintenance cover and instrument support is preferably constructed of a radiolucent plastic material such as ABS plastic, polycarbonate or other such plastic material, with the base panel, end panel and instrument platform most preferably shaped from a single sheet of transparent plastic material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various devices are known in the art for enclosing or partially enclosing patients for various purposes. For example, a non-invasive hyperbaric ventilator is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,670 dated Jun. 17, 1975, to Steven R. Loveland, et al for alleviating bronchopulmonary disorders in patients. The device includes a plexiglass chamber, into which the patient's head is inserted. A collar assembly around the patient's neck seals the chamber and an adjustable pressure gauge for regulating gas delivery pressures to the chamber and an expiratory resistance valve cooperate to provide intermittent pressurization and depressurization of the ventilator. The chamber is provided with multiple studs and ports to accommodate attachment of various accessory devices. U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,378, dated Jan. 18, 1977, to Donald E. Pickering, details a Transport and Life-Support System for Infants. The system includes a semi-rigid tray having a detachable bumper and a rigid transparent life support hood releasably attached to the tray and provided with ports for the introduction of air and oxygen into the hood and for the attachment of a pressure regulating device thereto. The hood is adapted to receive the head and chest of the infant and is adhesively sealed to the chest with a reinforced plastic material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,719, dated Jun. 30, 1981, to Nathan Mayer, details an "Apparatus and Method for Providing An Aseptic Surgical Environment". A patient is first wrapped with a plastic film sheet which is adhesively sealed to the patient's body remote from an operating area on the body and is also sealed against an incision site on the body at the operating area. A sterilized atmosphere is provided beneath the film sheet for contacting the patient's skin. Another sterilized atmosphere is provided within a region substantially adjacent to the body, including the incision site, thereby enabling a surgeon to cut through the film sheet and into the patient's body with minimal risk of infection. Extensive and costly operating room sterilization procedures are thus significantly reduced, and patient comfort and treatment can be enhanced by controlling the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere provided beneath the film sheet. An "Arm and Hand Rest Device for Microsurgery" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,217, to Daniel R. Evans. The device includes an arm and hand rest for performing microsurgery such as an eye operation, on a patient lying on an operating table. The device has a board placed on the operating table beneath the upper body portion of the patient so that the weight of the patient will hold the device firmly in place. Two tables are disposed at the head end of the board and each includes a platform upon which the hands and arms are rested while the surgeon uses a scalpel or other instrument in performing the operation. The tables are spaced from one another to define the area in which the patient's head is placed for the operation and the platforms are adjustable vertically and have projections at the top end, extending toward each other. A "Vacuum Barrier" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,318, dated Jun. 26, 1990, to Arnold Schoolman. The device includes a protective apparatus for preventing the exchange of harmful substances between an area isolated by the apparatus and the environment, for use in medical laboratory and industrial applications. The apparatus includes a physical shield, a vacuum barrier and an adjustable support frame. It further includes a vacuum connector for connecting the apparatus to a vacuum source, a vacuum conduit for flow communicating with the air around the perimeter of the physical shield, such that the vacuum source draws air with the solid and liquid matter entrained in the air into the vacuum conduit, and multiple vacuum apertures located along the vacuum conduit for communicating the vacuum source with the air. The apparatus is designed to provide protection for persons in proximity to a source of harmful substances such as aerosols produced by surgical procedures at a surgical incision on a patient infected with the AIDS virus or the like. A "Surgical Instrument Tray" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,590, dated Apr. 9, 1991, to John D. Eldridge, et al. The device includes a retainer and method of producing a retainer, which retainer cooperates with either a magnetic or non-magnetic surgical drape to hold instruments during surgical operations. A rectangular tray includes a wall which extends from the periphery of the base portion. The polypropylene base portion is thermally bonded to a thermoplastic rubber retainer to sandwich magnetic elements therebetween. The magnetic elements are magnetically attached to a magnetic drape and thus, secure the retainer in any desired orientation with respect to the drape. The method includes vacuum-forming a thermoplastic shell over a tray-configured mold to sandwich a magnetic element between the thermoplastic shell and the retainer. My U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,072, dated Jun. 21, 1994, details a "Sterility Maintenance Cover, Surgical Instrument Tray and Drape Support". The device includes an L-shaped member having a base panel for fitting beneath the patient and upward-standing side or end panel and a horizontally-oriented instrument platform extending from the side or end panel above the patient's head, neck and shoulders for receiving instruments during surgery. The device facilitates draping the patient's head to insure a sterile operating field which is maintained throughout the surgical procedure. In a preferred embodiment the instrument panel and the end or side panels may be removed from the base panel. The December 1973 issue of Interiors Magazine at Page 52 details a one-piece plate glass panel bent into a simple U-shaped table such as a coffee table or the like.
It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved device for maintaining surgical sterility during examination and surgical procedures in the head, shoulder and upper torso area of a patient.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved sterility maintenance cover and instrument support which is preferably, but not necessarily constructed of a clear, radiolucent plastic material and includes a base panel for fitting on a flat surface such as an examination or operating table and selectively under the head, neck and shoulders, as well as the torso, thighs and feet of a patient, an upward-standing end panel extending from the base panel and fitted with an open window for accessing the patient from the side or end of the table and an instrument panel or platform extending from the end panel substantially parallel to the base panel, over the head and neck of the patient for receiving and containing instruments during the invasive or non-invasive procedure.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved sterility maintenance cover and instrument support for effecting surgical sterility in draping of a patient during certain examination procedures and surgical operations and supporting medical instruments, which cover is characterized by a generally L-shaped, one-piece, preferably transparent and radiolucent plastic support device, the base panel of which selectively fits on an operating table under the head, neck and upper back or the torso, legs and feet of the patient and an end panel having an open access window and curving upwardly from the base panel, with an instrument panel or platform curving from the end panel over the patient's head and neck, for example, and further including gussets extending in spaced relationship with respect to each other between the base panel and instrument platform along the end panel, wherein the instrument platform supports and deploys the medical instruments and apparatus, as well as the drape or drapes, during the operation.